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Thread: Ashcroft Centre Diff ATB & Rear Detroit locker

  1. #1
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    Ashcroft Centre Diff ATB & Rear Detroit locker

    Does anybody have this combo in their LT230 equipped vehicle?
    I'm considering the ATB but the Detroit does have a habit of "fighting" solid terrain and I wonder if the centre ATB will worsen it.
    I also have the Ashcroft front ATB, so am I overkilling the traction?

    Thanks, David

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    Quote Originally Posted by DeeJay View Post
    Does anybody have this combo in their LT230 equipped vehicle?
    I'm considering the ATB but the Detroit does have a habit of "fighting" solid terrain and I wonder if the centre ATB will worsen it.
    I also have the Ashcroft front ATB, so am I overkilling the traction?

    Thanks, David
    I had that in my LSE, detroit rear, atb lt230, atb front. The detroit and lt230 atb were awesome. The front atb not so much.
    If I was to do it all again, I'd fit a selectable locker up front

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vern View Post
    I had that in my LSE, detroit rear, atb lt230, atb front. The detroit and lt230 atb were awesome. The front atb not so much.
    If I was to do it all again, I'd fit a selectable locker up front
    Good point, the TD5 is chipped, larger turbo etc & I do get torque steer under power, which I eventually put down to the front ATB- it took about 2 sets of suspension bushes ( that looked fine) before I twigged.

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    Hi David. Nah, still underkill

    I wouldn't expect a centre ATB to make your situation worse. My reckoning is that the unlocked ATB could split power unevenly between front and rear drive shafts, but once the power is there it is up to the front or rear diff to decide what to do with it, and that will depend on whether the diffs are open, in ATB, or locked and which tyres are touching the ground. In any event you could lock the centre ATB and be no different to a locked conventional Land Rover centre.

    I have all Ashcroft, lockers front and rear, plus lockable ATB centre. I got the ATB for general use, for ease of mind when traveling on mixed roads, to replace the vulnerable standard centre diff. I lock the centre ATB in rough terrain to stop it doing it's thing, and so get a 50/50 split of power front and rear. My understanding is that an ATB front diff wont hinder steering when both front wheels are on ground (as opposed to a locker), but will act like an open diff when one front wheel completely leaves the ground.

    I asked Dave Ashcroft if he could make a lockable front/rear ATB diff, but he pointed out there was not enough room in the pumpkin - so you still got to choose one or the other.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DeeJay View Post
    Good point, the TD5 is chipped, larger turbo etc & I do get torque steer under power, which I eventually put down to the front ATB- it took about 2 sets of suspension bushes ( that looked fine) before I twigged.
    Exact reason I removed mine, worked 4bd1t was not very pleasant under power, made it just want to pull straight

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vern View Post
    Exact reason I removed mine, worked 4bd1t was not very pleasant under power, made it just want to pull straight
    Hi Vern.

    I'm interested in your experience with a front ATB. You got any more in depth thoughts as to why it was behaving as it did, pulling straight (like a locker would). Were your experiences only in rough rocky terrain where both wheels had traction, but one has more traction than the other? Or a case where one wheel in the air finally hits ground? Any difficulty in your average level winding sandy or muddy track? I'm assuming there is no straight line pull when going into a conventional roundabout, likely because there is not enough differentiation to drive the ATB mechanism.

    When I was making my choice between a locker or ATB for the front diff Dave Ashcroft told me I would not like the ATB as much as a locker. I thought he was expressing this opinion on the basis that the locker provides the opportunity for traction even when one wheel is entirely off the ground, as opposed to the ATB that would go open when one wheel lifted entirely; and not opinion in regard to a steering issue with the ATB.

    Cheers.

  7. #7
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    It was all on bitumen, windy roads, roundabouts, taking off from intersections etc...it would want to pull straight under load.
    Off road it was fine, did its job. It was ite on road manners not helped by a torquey engine.
    Probably fine in a 300tdi with 50kw at the wheels where you would more so putt around compared 3.9L of torquey diesel with 120kw at the wheels it took away that rangiey feel.

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    So my LT230 .. it's got a lot of backlash. It's apparently pretty normal for a car with some age on it. Apparently mine isn't especially bad.

    I was at my trusted mechanic yesterday. He said an ashcroft ATB and associated install takes a lot of the backlash out and makes the car a lot nicer to drive.

    What's the thoughts on that?

    Also will it help the whine?
     2005 Defender 110 

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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot View Post
    So my LT230 .. it's got a lot of backlash. It's apparently pretty normal for a car with some age on it. Apparently mine isn't especially bad.

    I was at my trusted mechanic yesterday. He said an ashcroft ATB and associated install takes a lot of the backlash out and makes the car a lot nicer to drive.

    What's the thoughts on that?

    Also will it help the whine?
    I fitted rear and centre ATBs partly to reduce the backlash and it has worked well. The only backlash I have now is in the front, which is getting worse, so a front one will soon be on its way.

    As for the whine, mine now whines for a minute or two when very cold as the gears never go back together in exactly the same alignment.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by jon3950 View Post
    I fitted rear and centre ATBs partly to reduce the backlash and it has worked well. The only backlash I have now is in the front, which is getting worse, so a front one will soon be on its way.

    As for the whine, mine now whines for a minute or two when very cold as the gears never go back together in exactly the same alignment.
    That's great feedback thanks. I have ARB airlockers in the front and back. Would rather not have to replace them. I think I will consider the centre ashcroft lock though.
     2005 Defender 110 

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